The Story of a Muggleborn
by alynleo415
Summary: Hermione is like any normal girl, born to dentists and growing up in a small town. But one day an owl shows up on her doorstep with news that she's a witch and has been accpeted into Hogwarts School. This is the old story, told all from Hermione's POV.
1. A Sunrise of Change

**THE STORY OF A MUGGLEBORN**

Chapter One: A Sunrise of Change

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters. They all belong to JK Rowling.

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That fateful summer day dawned brilliantly as a fire-red sun rose over the hills on the horizon. Bright shining rays of light leapt across the small valley, illuminating the town that lay within in it.

A thin, well-tanned girl seemed to be the only inhabitant of the area that was awake at such an early hour. She was situated comfortably against the wall of a brick building, just on the outskirts of town. A cherry-red bicycle lay on the ground next to her, and she twiddled absentmindedly with the rubber on the handlebars.

It was late-July, and eleven-year-old Hermione Granger was spending that summer morning in the best way she knew how: away from the typical hustle and bustle of the town, watching the majestic ball of orange fire erupt over the hills in a fantastic display of colors. Having never been much of the social type, Hermione would rather enjoy nature's beauty or curl up in a corner with a book then hang out at the movies or the park as most of the kids her age did during holidays.

She'd tied her cumbersome bushel of brown hair back into a tight bun, out of her face and her eyes, which glowed deep amber in the morning sun. Now, deciding that it was probably time to start home for breakfast, Hermione tucked the bun neatly under her helmet and climbed onto her bicycle.

The town was slowly starting to awaken as Hermione peddled through it. Here and there, shop owners could be seen dusting their porches or switching out their 'closed' signs for 'open' ones. She rode past the library, where she spent much of her summer, and her old school, Willow Tree Primary. Now that she was eleven, Hermione would head off to Secondary School, away from her family and her home for most of the year. The thought scared her out of her very wits, as she was by no means popular among her peers. Hermione was consistently ridiculed for being smart and a hard-worker. And though she always tried her best not to be a bossy know-it-all, the overwhelming urge to supply the answer to a teacher's question had always proved too much for her. Her parents were the only people she knew who seemed to enjoy her company and didn't call her 'know-it-all' or 'teacher's pet' whenever they saw her. Once she left for Secondary School, she would be completely alone, away from the beauty of the town and the love of her parents. So Hermione had decided to make the most of her last month-and-a-half of vacation, and had since been riding her bike to the outskirts of town every morning. Watching the sunrise was incredibly calming and was almost like a therapy for her fears and worries.

Hermione's mother was preparing pancakes in the kitchen when she arrived home, whilst her father was still upstairs, getting ready for work. Both Anne and Adam Granger were dentists, though Anne worked very little in the summer so that she could spend more time with her daughter.

"Morning, mum," Hermione greeted her mother with a quick hug, then shrugged off the thin jacket she'd worn on the bike ride and hung it in the downstairs closet. She took her seat at the small table in the kitchen, taking a long sip from the glass of orange juice that'd been set out for her.

"How was your ride?" Anne Granger asked her daughter, taking the seat opposite her and setting the pancakes between them.

"Fine," Hermione replied, reaching to scoop pancakes onto her plate. "Same as always, for the most part."

Though she kept it at a much shorter length then her daughter, Anne Granger had the very same bushy hair, light brown in color, bouncy and somewhat frizzled. Her eyes were a deeper, chocolate brown and she was tall and thin. Adam Granger, on the other hand, had thick, dark brown hair; nearly black, and he'd passed on his dark amber eyes to Hermione.

Adam now came into the kitchen, wearing his black dress pants, a white pleated shirt, and carrying his dentist's scrub under his arm.

"Morning, sweethearts," he said brightly, kissing both his wife and daughter on the cheek, and then taking a seat at the table. He immediately dumped a good amount of pancakes on his plate and poured a large load of syrup over them. Hermione, who didn't particularly feel like watching her father eat in the disgusting manner that he always did, stood up and made to excuse herself from the table.

"Wait just a moment," Anne said, indicating for Hermione to sit back down. She then cleared her throat loudly and gave her husband a disapproving glare; as he had been attempting to shovel an entire syrupy pancake into his mouth on one go. He chewed quickly and swallowed, setting his fork down sheepishly.

"Hermione, there's something very important that your father and I need to talk to you about," Anne said, her tone and expression both serious, yet somehow excited. "It's about something that came in the mail early this morning. _By owl post._" She paused, as though not sure how to continue.

Hermione looked at her, clearly confused. Owl post? What was owl post?

"Maybe you should just read it. It's difficult to understand, and we still aren't quite sure what it means," Anne continued. With that, she reached into her pocket and pulled out an envelope made of yellow parchment. She handed it to Hermione.

Written in green ink and a fancy scrawl, the front of the envelope read:

**Miss H. Granger**

**Mr. and Mrs. A. Granger**

**Number 15 Elizabeth Circle**

**Little Willow**

**Norfolk**

Hermione glance up uncertainly at her parents, and her mother gave her something of an encouraging nod. She pulled a letter out of the envelope, unfolded it, and immediately saw that it was written in the same green ink. It read:

**HOGWARTS SCHOOL**

**of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY**

**Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore**

**(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock, Supreme Mugwamp, _**

_**International Confed. of Wizards)**_

**Dear Miss Granger,**

**We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a letter explaining to both you and your parents about the Wizarding world and also about Hogwarts School. A list of books and equipment necessary for the school year is also included. Term begins on September 1****st****. Please read accompanying letters for more information.**

**Yours Sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress **

Hermione just stared at the letter, gaping in surprise. Was this some sort of joke? Were the kids from school trying to play a trick on her? None of it made sense. A school of witchcraft and wizardry? There wasn't such a thing as wizardry. Or was there? She looked at her mother, who was watching her carefully to see her reaction.

"Read the second one, it'll hopefully help you to understand a little better," Anne instructed Hermione.

The second letter was longer than the first, and much more detailed. It was addressed to her parents:

**Dear Mr. and Mrs. Adam Granger,**

**I am very pleased and proud to inform you that your daughter, Miss Hermione Granger, has been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. This may come as a great shock and confusion to you. Please allow me to explain.**

**Miss Hermione is a witch, born with magical abilities that she may have inherited from a relation several generations back, or possibly even developed on her own. The Wizarding World exists all around you, though we are very cautious people to keep our abilities a secret from non-magic people, such as yourselves. In our world, it is tradition for young witches and wizards to begin schooling at the age of eleven. Hermione, if she were to attend Hogwarts, would be amongst others her own age, also with magical abilities. It would be a most ample fit for her.**

**If it is acceptable, I wish to meet with you and your family within the next week to discuss more about the Wizarding World and answer any questions you may have regarding Hermione and her abilities, as well as Hogwarts. Please send your answer by the owl that delivered this letter with a date, place, and time at which I can meet you. The owl will be able to find his way to me, so all you must do is tie a response letter to his leg. Thank you and Congratulations.**

**Yours Sincerely,**

**Minerva McGonagall**

**Deputy Headmistress**

She stared, dumfounded, at the letter for several moments, clutching it tightly until her knuckles turned white. "I… I… I'm a witch?" Hermione whispered. She could hardly believe the words coming out of her own mouth. Witches didn't exist! She couldn't possibly be one! She waved the parchment back and forth in her parents' faces. "Neither of you knew anything about this?"

"We sent a reply letter," Anne said nervously, not knowing quite how to answer her daughter. "This 'Minerva McGonagall' will be meeting us Thursday evening at Carlson's. We would discuss this whole concept more this morning, but until Ms. McGonagall comes, we really don't know any more then you do."

Hermione nodded slowly. So her parents were just as in the dark as she was. Carlson's was the restaurant down in town, a steakhouse. However, Thursday was three days away. Three long, painful days that she would have to wait without answers to the millions of questions that were springing into her head.

"You're sure that you don't know anything about it?" she asked her mother.

"Hermione, if I knew anytihing about you being a- a witch, or about this Hogwarts, or the 'Wizarding World', then I would most certainly tell you," Anne said, and she took a deep breath. "We're all just going to have to wait until Thursday. It'll probably turn out just to be some sort of misunderstanding or a practicial joke."

Her mother's face was a mixture of concern and confusion, whilst her father seemed to want nothing more than to get back to his pancakes. Hermione stood up and grabbed the first, shorter letter.

"Do you mind if I take this?"

"Not at all," Anne replied, wearily returning to her own breakfast. Hermione took the stairs two at a time, shoved open the door to the right of the second floor landing, shut it behind her, and collapsed onto her bed.

Sighing heavily, Hermione rolled over and propped herself up on her elbows, facing the open window. The sun was high in the Eastern sky by now, and the temperature outside was slowly beginning to climb. She could see the people of the town moving about, going through the daily motions of their lives. None of them had any idea that a young witch had just been discovered in their midst. They all were having a very normal, undisturbed day, and their world, unlike Hermione's, had not just been changed forever.

She leaned back against her pillows and shut her eyes, trying to block all of it out. Thursday evening could not possibly come fast enough.

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**Hi everyone. Well, here it is, my first Harry Potter fic. I saw the movie earlier this summer, and of course I've read all the books and seen all the other movies. I've been dying to write a fic for Hermione, and then I had the crazy idea of telling the entire story from her point of view. This will (hopefully!) be the first of seven or more fics that tell the whole Harry Potter series from Hermione's side. Therefore, there will definetley be lots of Ron/Hermione later on, maybe not so much in this first fic, but more in the sequels, as well as Harry/Ginny and all the other common couples. **

**Please read and review, all comments are appreciated :). **

**Chapter Notes:**

***The town of Little Willow is of my own creation, I know it probably doesn't exhist in Norfolk, or for that matter if it even exhists at all.**

***Anne and Adam probably aren't the names that JK Rowling made for Mr. and Mrs. Granger, but i couldn't find the real ones anywhere so I just chose those two. **

**Thanks! Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon!**


	2. McGonagall Explains

**THE STORY OF A MUGGLEBORN**

Chapter Two: McGonagall Explains

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters. They all belong to JK Rowling.

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The next seventy-six hours passed in a hazy blur for the Granger family. Adam spent much more time at work than usual, trying to push away thoughts of the letter and the upcoming meeting. Anne had busied herself by giving their small home a thorough cleaning, dusting every square inch until it sparkled. And Hermione had taken to riding around town on her bike for hours on end, constantly deep in thought. Finally, after what seemed an eternity, Thursday night was upon them.

"Hermione! We're leaving for the restaurant in five minutes!"

Anne's shrill voice carried through the house, up the stairs and into the bedroom of her apprehensive daughter, who was staring hopelessly at herself in the mirror. Hermione had chosen a neat brown shirt and dark blue jeans for the evening, but she still felt disheveled and unkempt. Her hair was down, dangling pitifully at her shoulders in its usual frizzy blob. Her normally bright eyes were sunken with fear and confusion.

Her, a witch? It couldn't be; it simply didn't make sense. She'd spent the last three days pondering endlessly over it, thinking up possible answers to the many questions she had. But the more that she thought about it, the more she began to recall times when she'd made unexplainable things happen. Such as the first time she could remember having a shot, and the needle had flown out of the doctor's hand before he'd reached her, lodging itself in the wall across the room. Or just last year, when Phyllis Darmy from school had approached Hermione during lunch, threatening to beat her up. The nearby trash bin had then mysteriously begun attacking Phyllis. Could these have been her 'magical abilities' at work?

"We're leaving!" Anne called desperately from the kitchen.

Hermione sighed, pulling away from the mirror. "It's all just some stupid joke," she murmured to herself, trying to calm the nerves and slow her racing heartbeat. But did she really _want_ it to be a joke?

Shaking these strange thoughts from her head, Hermione grabbed a beige handbag out of her closet and hurried downstairs, clutching the letter from Hogwarts tightly in her hand.

Carlson's Steakhouse was crowded, seeing as it was the only good restaurant in town. Anne asked the hostess if anyone by the name of McGonagall had been seated already, but the hostess just shook her head. After a short wait, the Grangers were then led to a small table in the back corner. Four cushioned chairs were arranged around it, and a fire crackled merrily in the hearth nearby.

They seated themselves at the table, waiting for several minutes in silence.

"Doesn't even have the decency to show up on time," Adam Granger muttered to himself. Glancing at her own watch, Hermione decided that her father was being a bit unfair. It was only two minutes past six, the time they had asked Ms. McGonagall to meet them. He did look very twitchy, however, and Hermione could tell that the whole experience disturbed her father greatly. Her mother, on the other hand, was sitting perfectly still, focused intently on the fireplace.

At exactly five past six, the front door of Carlson's opened with a clang. It was a woman who had entered; a tall, stiff looking lady wearing long dress pants and a cream-colored sweater with a matching overcoat. She paused, her eyes traveling around the restaurant until they fell on the Granger family in the back corner.

Hermione felt her insides freeze as the woman's dark green eyes met her own. She stared back determinedly, resisting the urge to flinch. She already knew exactly who this lady was. _So it isn't a joke, _a tiny voice inside her head whispered.

The hostess hurried up to the woman, but she pointed in the Granger's direction and the hostess backed away.

"She's here," Hermione hissed softly to her parents. Adam jumped, glancing over his shoulder to see Minerva McGonagall striding purposefully towards them. Anne stood up slowly, flattening her blouse and clearing her throat. The lady stopped in front of their table.

"Mr. and Mrs. Granger," she said, her tone friendly but business-like. She extended her hand for Anne to shake. "My name is Minerva McGonagall. I am the Deputy Headmistress of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry." She lowered her voice slightly as she said this, so as to ensure that the next table over couldn't hear her.

"It is a pleasure to meet you, Ms. McGonagall," Anne answered, shaking her hand. "You must forgive us; we expected this all to be some sort of prank."

"I understand your confusion completely," Ms. McGonagall replied, smiling slightly. "But please believe me when I tell you, with the utmost sincerity, that Hogwarts and the Wizarding World truly do exist. Much of what I am going to explain to you tonight will come as a shock and may take a great deal of time getting used to. I ask you to keep open minds, however."

Anne nodded, trying to seem willing. She indicated Hermione, who was watching them both anxiously. "May I introduce my daughter, Hermione?"

At the mention of her name, Hermione stood to shake Ms. McGonagall's hand. "Nice to meet you," she murmured politely. A myriad of different thoughts and questions were whizzing through her head, and she was desperate for answers. Ms. McGonagall's lips curled in a thin smile.

Anne and Hermione sat back down, and Minerva McGonagall took the fourth chair, leaning over to introduce herself to Adam. Once all pleasantries had been exchanged and the waitress had come to take their drink orders, Ms. McGonagall began her explanations.

"Now," she said, folding her hands tightly in her lap. "The Wizarding World, as I mentioned in the letter, exist all around you, at every moment of the day. We keep ourselves well-hidden from people such as yourselves, whom we refer to as Muggles. A 'muggle' is a person with no magical abilities. In our world, Hermione is what we call a muggle-born, or a witch born to non-magic parents."

"Wait a moment," Adam said, already looking thoroughly confused. "If we're non-magic, or 'muggles', as you call them, then how did Hermione turn out as a- as a witch?"

Ms. McGonagall nodded, as though this was a very fair question. "It's possible that she inherited her abilities from a distant relative, or she may have simply been born with them. It does not mean, however, that she has weaker powers than witches and wizards born to people with magical abilities. She simply has grown up in the Muggle World, whereas they have grown up in the Wizarding World. Does that make sense?"

Mr. and Mrs. Granger nodded. The waitress returned with their drinks, and they quickly ordered their meals as well. "Please continue," Anne encouraged once the waitress had gone.

"In the Wizarding World," Ms. McGonagall went on, "we are governed by a ministry, appropriately named 'The Ministry of Magic'. At the head of the ministry is a 'Minister of Magic'. His position, I believe, is similar to that of your prime minister. As a witch and a part of the Wizarding World, Hermione will be required to abide by all of the ministry's laws, especially those pertaining to underage wizards and witches.

"Unlike in the Muggle World, young witch and wizards are considered adults when they turn seventeen. Until then, a 'trace charm' is put upon them, ensuring that they can't use magic anywhere outside of their wizarding school without the ministry knowing. Hogwarts School is one of three major wizard schools in Europe. The others are called Beauxbatons and Durmstrang. When they turn seventeen, the ministry deems young wizards and witches knowledgeable and responsible enough to use magic unsupervised. By that time, most witches and wizards are in their seventh and final year of school. "Ms. McGonagall paused for a moment, taking a steady, deep breath. "Do you have any questions at this point?"

"So… Hermione would be starting her first year at Hogwarts?" Anne asked, brow furrowed in thought.

"Yes," Ms. McGonagall replied, just as the waitress walked up, carrying a large tray filled with the food they had ordered. She set their plates in front of them, asked if they needed anything else, to which they impatiently replied no, at which point she turned and finally left.

"Let's move on to Hogwarts," Ms. McGonagall suggested.

"Hogwarts was founded many ages ago by four people, named Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin. At the beginning of their first year, students are sorted into one of four different houses named after the founders. Gryffindor house is known for bravery, Hufflepuff for kindness, Ravenclaw for the wise and intelligent, and Slytherin for the ambitious and cunning. Throughout their schooling at Hogwarts, students share dormitories, common rooms, and classes with the others in their house," she added.

"Term begins each year on September first. The Hogwarts Express leaves from Platform Nine and Three-Quarters in King's Cross Station at eleven A.M. sharp the morning of September first. The school year-"

"Wait just a second," Adam interrupted. "Did you say – did you just say '_Platform Nine and Three Quarters'_?"

"Yes," Ms. McGonagall smiled in that strange way again. "To get to it, you must walk through the barrier between platforms nine and ten." Adam was staring at her, mouth hanging open slightly. "But there is no need to worry about that yet," she added, leaving Adam even more puzzled then before.

"As I was saying, the school year consists of two breaks, one at Christmas, which is three weeks long, and one at Easter, which is a week long. Students may either travel home to visit their families or stay a Hogwarts during these breaks. During the two and a half summer holiday, however, all students must return home.

"A week in early June is reserved for end-of-year exams, which every student must pass in order to move onto the next level. In the fifth year of Hogwarts education, students are required by the ministry to take O.W.L. tests, or Ordinary Wizarding Levels. They must achieve certain grades for each on these tests in order to continue onto N.E.W.T level, which is the most advanced type of magic that can be studied at Hogwarts. N.E.W.T exams are then taken at the end of seventh year."

"What sort of things do they study?" Anne questioned as Ms. McGonagall paused for another long breath.

"We offer a variety of courses, such as Potions, Transfiguration, Charms, and Herbology," she replied. "Beginning in third year, students are also permitted to sit elective classes, which they will choose at the end of their second year. For example, Ancient Runes and Muggle Studies are both electives.

"Do you have any questions?" Ms. McGonagall asked. "I think I've covered most everything I wanted to…" None of the Grangers spoke up, so Ms. McGonagall turned to Hermione. "Then let me just close by saying that we would be most pleased to have you at Hogwarts, Hermione Granger. You would make a wonderful addition to our school."

"We need some time to process all of this," Anne said slowly. "When can we get back to you?"

"Typically, we accept registration letters up until July 31st. That gives you about a week to discuss it make your decision. Is that an ample enough time period?"

"Yes, that seems reasonable," Anne replied. "Er… how do we get the letter to you?"

"An owl will come to your house next Wednesday morning. You may send your response with him," Ms. McGonagall replied.

Hermione leaned back in her cushioned chair as her parents and Ms. McGonagall moved on to discussing school supplies and where to purchase them.

It was then that she noticed her trembling body. Hermione was breathless with excitement, and her limbs shook as adrenaline pounded through her veins. Not only was the Wizarding World real; it was even greater than she could have ever imagined. Potions and Transfiguration Classes? Thousands of students with abilities like hers whom she would get to spend the next seven years with? It seemed too amazing to even be plausible! Hermione simply couldn't wrap her mind around it.

Less than an hour before, she'd been overcome with nerves and anxiousness. All of that had quickly been replaced by an incredible desire to enter the Wizarding World and discover more about it. For every question that Ms. McGonagall had answered, a hundred new ones had arisen in Hermione's head. She wanted desperately to be a part of all of it; to experience it for herself.

Hermione was vaguely aware of her parents and Ms. McGonagall standing and walking out of the restaurant. She followed them, still deep in thought. When they stepped outside into the warm summer night, Hermione was brought abruptly back to her senses.

"It was a pleasure meeting you," her mother was saying to Ms. McGonagall. "Thank you for all of the explanations and descriptions."

"You're most welcome," Ms. McGonagall shook both Anne and Adam's hands again. She then addressed Hermione. "I hope to be seeing you at Hogwarts in a month or so," she smiled thinly, resting her hand on Hermione's shoulder for a moment in farewell. "Goodnight, Mr. and Mrs. Granger, Miss Hermione."

"Goodnight, Ms. McGonagall," Anne answered, and then she, Adam, and Hermione turned and began the walk through the town to their home.

At the end of the street, Hermione turned back for a moment to glance at Carlson's, trying to engrain the memory of that night in her head forever. Ms. McGonagall had disappeared, but Hermione could just make out a thin, tabby cat trotting down the road. Then it slipped into the shadow of the building and was gone.

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**Hi again, everyone. Well, that was chapter two of Hermione's life story. It was a little bit longer than the first, but McGonagall had a lot of explaining to do for the Grangers. And again, I'm sorry, there won't be a ton of major shipping in this first story, considering that Hermione is only eleven and right now she hasn't even met Ron yet. (besides - they hate each other at first). I hope to have a chapter done about every two days like this, but it could vary, considering I have an incredibly busy schedule and its only going to get worse as time goes on. So sorry if I miss days or don't update for a while. **

**Please continue to read and review, I'm always looking for feedback, consructive critism, and encouragement :)**

**Thanks for reviewing!:**

**ngaryonatkailanman, FunkeyMonkeyLOL, Bittersweet x, and Aquamarine Jazz **

**Chapter Notes:**

***Since Hermione and her parents haven't finalized their decision on whether or not Hermione is going to Hogwarts, McGonagall isn't yet Hermione's professor. Hence the reason why she was refferred to as 'Ms. McGonagall' throughout the chapter. She will, of course, become Professor McGonagall later on.**

***The tabby cat at the end was McGonagall in her animgus form, but Hermione doesn't know that yet, naturally. Just thought it would be a cool touch.**

**Thanks! I'll try for the next chapter in two days! :)**


	3. Hermione's New Home

**THE STORY OF A MUGGLEBORN**

Chapter Three: Hermione's New Home

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter or the characters. They all belong to JK Rowling.

* * *

London, Hermione decided, was not her favorite place to be. Having grown up in the countryside, the city's cramped spaces and busy streets made her feel unbearably claustrophobic. The Underground was the worst part, despite being the easiest way to travel in such an area. Hermione hated the idea of being inside of the dark, rattling tube.

She and her parents were seated in the train now as it rambled along towards Leicester station. This was their third day in the city, and in Hermione's opinion, the most important. Today, they were going to 'Diagon Alley'. Today, Hermione would officially enter the wizarding world for the first time.

After several lengthy discussions, a few shouting matches, and some research on Anne's part, it had been decided that Hermione would attend Hogwarts School that fall. However, the week that followed dinner with Ms. McGonagall had been incredibly stressful for Hermione's family. Anne had first asked Hermione to try and perform magic, so that they might have some shred of evidence of her so called 'witch-hood'. Eventually, Hermione had become so frustrated with her mother and her own lack of ability to produce evidence that their teapot, which had been sitting on the counter during their argument, shattered into a thousand pieces. This had been good enough for Adam, who'd been watching their battle indifferently from the corner.

"Well, I'd say that settles it," he'd said. "She must be a witch." He went to get a broom for the broken glass.

Anne, who'd been staring at the spot where the teapot used to be, pulled herself back into reality. "That most certainly does not settle it!" she cried shrilly. And so, throughout the next several days, discussions and more fights had ensued.

As promised, McGonagall's next owl arrived bright and early on July 31st, carrying registration papers, should Hermione be allowed to attend Hogwarts. Later that morning, Anne had called them all to a meeting in order to make a final decision.

"Now that we've been through all of this… deliberation," she'd begun, after sighing heavily. "I've personally decided that… it's up to you, Hermione. The teapot incident proved that you must be a witch. So now all that's left to choose is whether you want to join the wizarding kind, or remain here, as… as a muggle."

Hermione had felt her mouth hanging open and had quickly shut it. Her parents were leaving the decision up to her? After all they'd been through, all the fights, they were allowing her to choose her own future? At first, it'd seem too good to be true. She had, of course, responded to her mother with an immediate "yes". But the more she'd thought about it, the more unsure she'd become. What was the wizarding world even like? Would she really fit in as well as McGonagall had promised?

After hearing their daughter's confirmation, Anne and Adam had then filled out the registration papers, as well as written a reply letter to McGonagall, and sent it back with the owl. The next evening, it returned with yet another message from the deputy headmistress, bearing congratulations and suggesting that they buy Hermione's school supplies in Diagon Alley, a wizarding village hidden in London. Heeding McGonagall's recommendation, Adam had booked a hotel, and they'd left for the city two days later.

Now, here they sat on the Underground, traveling to the Leaky Caldron, a pub near Leicester station. A representative from Hogwarts was meeting them at the pub to help them natvigate Diagon Alley.

Hermione could not remember a time in her life when she'd been more nervous. In the muggle world, she'd always kept to herself, away from her peers. She'd cared very little about what others thought of her and their comments had, for the most part, rolled right off her. But today was different. Hermione was desperate to make a good impression on the people of the wizarding world, and she was terrified of failing miserably. What if she didn't really belong as well as McGonagall had said? What if the other children her age were much more advanced at magic? What if growing up muggle had caused her to fall far behind the other Hogwarts students?

She glanced down at her hands, which were followed tightly in her lap, and realized how violently she was shaking. Anne seemed to have noticed this as well, and she laid a comforting arm around her daughter's shoulders.

Ten minutes later, the train rambled to a jerky stop, and Hermione followed her parents up into the bright sunlight. Anne pulled out a small map from Ms. McGonagall, turning it this way and that until she found out where they were.

"Uh… that way…" she indicated in a general direction, and they set off.

A twenty minute walk later, Hermione noticed a musty looking storefront ahead of them. She could just barely make out the faint lettering on the sign hanging above it, reading 'the Leaky Cauldron'.

"There it is," she said, pointing to the pub.

Anne and Adam squinted, trying to read the sign at the place she had indicated. After a few moments, Adam nodded slowly. "Yes, I see it," he said.

"That was weird," Anne murmured as they walked towards it. "I didn't even see anything there until you pointed it out…"

Hermione glanced curiously at her mother, wondering what she meant. She was jerked out of her thoughts when Adam pulled the door of the pub open and stepped back for them to enter.

There was hardly any light in the room they walked into, nothing but a few candles burning here and there. Several rickety old tables were randomly set around, and there was a small bar in the back corner. A bald, toothless man was lazily preparing a drink behind it; Hermione assumed him to be the bartender. The only other occupants of the pub were two men chatting animatedly at a table, a small family eating lunch, and four little old women seated in a dark corner.

The Granger's glanced around, feeling incredibly out of place in their jeans and sweatshirts. Everyone else had on dark colored robes, ranging from velvet to leather. The bartender finally looked up, noticing them for the first time. He scrutinized them curiously, before a small smile broke out on his face.

"What can I do for you?" the old man asked, coming out from behind the bar.

Hermione glanced shakily back at her parents, who seemed to be at a loss for words. Cautiously, she stepped forward.

"Minerva McGonagall sent us," she said, trying to seem confident. "We're supposed to be meeting a Hogwarts representative here…" she could feel her knees shaking uncontrollably, and suddenly wished she were back in the comfort of her home, the muggle world.

"Ah yes," the bartender said happily, grinning even wider and showing off his toothless gums. "Muggleborn, I presume?"

She nodded and smiled weakly, the man's cheerful attitude helped her to relax a little. Her mother finally seemed to come to her senses and stepped up beside Hermione.

"Anne Granger," she said, extending her hand to the bartender. "This is my husband Adam and my daughter Hermione."

"It's wonderful to meet you," he replied enthusiastically. "I'm Tom, bartender and owner of the Leaky Cauldron."

He moved his arm in a wide, sweeping motion, indicating the pub behind him. He gazed lovingly at it for a moment, and then turned back to them. Hermione struggled to repress a laugh.

"If you'll follow me," Tom continued "your Hogwarts host is waiting in the back room."

He led them down a hallway to a room with a crackling fireplace. A blonde woman dressed in deep purple robes and a short, pointed hat was seated in a plush chair. Across from her sat a middle-aged African man with a thin moustache. He too wore robes, though his were a dark, formal black.

"Madam Vector, Master Shacklebolt, may I introduce you to the Grangers?" Tom greeted the people in the room.

The women stood up and welcomed them with a polite smile. "Ah yes, the Grangers. Septima Vector," she said, shaking their hands. "I teach arithmancy at Hogwarts and I'll be your Diagon Alley guide for the day."

The man stood behind her as well and cleared his throat politely. "Well, Septima, I'll be off. "

"Yes, of course, Kingsley," she turned back to him. "It was nice talking with you."

"And you," He replied. "Kingsley Shacklebolt," his deep voice echoed as he too shook the Granger's hands. "I work in the ministry as an Auror, and I have an important duty to fulfill this afternoon. So sorry I couldn't stay and chat." And with a quick smile, Kingsley Shacklebolt was gone.

An Auror? Arithmancy? Hermione blinked, wondering if she had actually heard these strange people correctly. She had never known such odd words before. A growing knot in her stomach told her she had an incredibly vast amount to learn about the wizarding world. McGonagall had seemed to have barely skimmed the surface.

The women then indicated the door. "Shall we, then?" she asked. Septima Vector led them back into the pub's main room, but she made a sharp right and opened a heavy door to the alley behind the pub. She stepped back to allow the Granger's to walk into the alley. Hermione gave her a doubtful look and glanced at her parents uncertainly. Was this some sort of joke? How could this possibly be the famous Diagon Alley McGonagall had spoken of?

"Just through here…" Ms. Vector murmured as they stepped into the alley and she shut the door behind them. Then she pulled out a curious looking object from the inside her robes. It was a fairly long, thin piece of dark wood, though it seemed a handle had been carved out on one end.

"Alright," she began, holding the wood in her right hand and raising it up towards the stone wall of the alley. "Watch closely. I doubt this will be the last time you'll come to Diagon Alley, so I'm sure you will want to know how to get in for future visits."

Hermione obediently did as she said, her large amber eyes following the Hogwarts professor's every move. Ms. Vector laid the stick of wood against one of the grey bricks, then lifted it and began to tap. She moved on, touching seven bricks in total, following what appeared to be a very specific pattern.

"Three up, two across," Ms. Vector smiled to herself as she tapped. Hermione wondered what on earth she could possibly be talking about.

And then, before their very eyes, the wall magically began to move out of the way. The bricks twisted and spread apart, creating an archway opening in the alleyway. But Hermione quickly forgot about the bricks when she saw the scene before her.

A little cobbled street began just beyond the archway, before winding and twisting away from them and curving around a bend, out of sight. There were so many colors, shops, people – Hermione could hardly take it all in. Several stores lined either side of the twisting walkway, but none looked even remotely alike. Some were very old and had peeling wooden signs while others were bright and colorful. Some did not stand up straight but rather looked bent and leaning as they rose toward the sky, as though they were about to topple over. A few even had apartments above them, with little windows covered in shutters.

As she raked her eyes over the strange shops before them, Hermione noticed the people. The Alley was busy; there were several wizards and witches running this way and that. Some paused occasionally to talk with a shopkeeper or a friend. Hermione saw that they were not wearing normal clothing. Like Ms. Vector, they were all dressed in robes in all different colors, ranging from simple black to bright fuchsia pink. It was absolutely wonderful. Hermione was instantly in love with the bumbling wizarding village.

Ms. Vector was watching her with a warm expression, and it was then that Hermione realized she herself was beaming in happiness. Blushing, the young witch glanced down at her toes.

"Breathtaking, isn't it?" The Hogwarts professor said, sympathizing with Hermione's reaction. "Let's move on then…"

The Granger's stepped forward cautiously, following Ms. Vector down the street and into the bustling village. Behind them, the wall quickly re-sealed itself, bricks sliding this way and that to close the opening.

Navigating their way through the large crowd, the Granger's host led them to a white marble building that towered over all of the others. Fine lettering on the antique brass doors simply read: Gringotts.

"Gringotts first, of course," Ms. Vector said, speaking more to Adam and Anne then their daughter. "It's the wizarding bank. We'll set up an account for Hermione, and then you can exchange some of your muggle money into wizard currency. It will be stored in a vault for her, deep underground. Very secure, of course, these vaults."

Perplexed, Anne and Adam just nodded. Hermione quickly grew uninterested. At eleven years of age, nothing bored her more than financing and money. Sensing this, Ms. Vector pulled a small handful of coins out of her pocket.

"We'll only be twenty minutes or so, Hermione. If your parents will allow it, you can run over to that shop just there and buy yourself a treat." She pointed towards a blue-painted little store with bright green windows called 'Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor'. Then she proceeded to hand Hermione the coins.

Anne instantly began to protest at leaving her daughter alone, but Adam gave her a silencing look. "Go on, Hermione," he said to her. "We won't be too long, I'm sure."

Hermione's mother sighed, defeated. "Alright. I suppose you might as well have a look around…"

"Thanks, mum," Hermione smiled gratefully.

"We'll meet you just here in about twenty minutes," Ms. Vector told Hermione, before leading her parents through the bank's bronze doors.

Hermione bought a simple sundae in the ice cream parlor. Then she chose a plastic picnic table on the parlor's patio to sit and observe the life of Diagon Alley.

It was all so incredible that Hermione could hardly take it in. Here she was, right in the middle of the wizarding world. Her new home. This magical village was proof that McGonagall had told the truth; that Hermione really was a witch. Confirmation of this fact made the young Granger both excited and uncomfortably nervous.

A short time later, Hermione's parents came out of the bank's bronze doors, followed by Ms. Vector. Adam was clutching a small leather sack that jingled as he walked.

"Here you are," he said, handing his daughter the sack. "Money for your first term at Hogwarts."

"Wow! Thanks dad!" Hermione replied, smiling and suddenly feeling quite grown up. Her parents had never before entrusted her with such a great sum of money!

"You'll want to take out your Hogwarts supply list, now, that's it," Ms. Vector instructed Hermione. She did so, fumbling in her pocket for the envelope.

"What would you like to go and find first?" Ms. Vector asked.

Hermione unfolded the supply list and looked over it. In the same green ink as the original acceptance letter, the list read:

HOGWARTS SCHOOL

of WITCHCRAFT and WIZARDRY

_SUPPLY LIST_

_All first year students will require:_

_1. Three sets of plain work robes, black_

_2. One plain, pointed hat for day wear, black_

_3. One pair of protective hand gloves, dragon hide or similar_

_4. One winter cloak, black with silver fastenings_

_And the following set books:_

_1. The Standard Book of Spells Grade One, by Miranda Goshawk_

_2. A History of Magic, by Bathilda Bagshot_

_3. Magical Theory, by Adalbert Waffling_

_4. A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration, by Emerik Switch_

_5. One Thousand Magical Herbs and Fungi, Phyllida Spore_

_6. Magical Drafts and Potions, by Arsendius Jigger_

_7. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them, by Newt Scamander_

_8. The Dark Forces: A Guide to Self Protection, by Quentis Tremble_

_All students must be equipped with:_

_1. One wand_

_2. One standard, size two, pewter cauldron_

_And may bring, if they desire, an owl, a cat, or a toad._

_Please note that first year students ARE NOT allowed their own broomstick._

When she came to the wand, Hermione realized what Ms. Vector's wooden stick must have been. A tool which witches and wizards used for magic! She suddenly grew excited.

"A wand," Hermione said. "I want to get a wand first."

"This way," Ms. Vector complied, setting off down the cobbled street. "Olivander's is the best wand shop you can find."

They approached a shabby looking shop that looked much older and was less colorful than the more modern buildings surrounding it. Faded gold lettering over the entrance read:

OLLIVANDERS

Makers of Fine Wands since 382 B.C.

Hermione entered first, followed by her parents and their host. The shop was just as musty and dark on the inside. A mysterious aura reached Hermione senses, and she shivered slightly.

Shelves lined the walls in every direction, not unlike a library. Instead of books, however, thousands of skinny boxes filled these bookcases.

"Hello," A smooth, quiet voice broke the silence. Hermione turned towards the source to find an old man standing there, perfectly still. He had eerily pale eyes, which were watching her with an almost curious expression. Hermione didn't know what to say.

The man's gaze finally shifted, and he looked past her.

"Ah! Septima Vector," the man grew suddenly more cheerful. "So wonderful to see you!"

Ms. Vector smiled politely, nodding her agreement. "And you as well, Mr. Ollivander."

"Ah… let's think…" the man continued. "Ten inches, I believe… birch, yes, with a unicorn hair. Incredibly flexible. Am I correct?"

Bewildered, Hermione spun to look at Ms. Vector. What on earth was the man talking about?

"Yes, you are," Ms. Vector nodded again. Then she reached into the folds of her purple and extracted the wooden stick from earlier; her wand. Mr. Ollivander took it between his thin fingers, twirling it lightly.

"Excellent condition," he murmured. "But, yes! On to business!" he returned the wand. "Who, might I ask, is this young lady?" he indicated Hermione and her family.

"These are the Grangers," Ms. Vector said. "And this is Hermione. She's a muggleborn."

"Oh, yes! Of course." Mr. Ollivander replied, much more cheerful now. He turned brightly to Hermione. "Which is your wand arm?"

"Um, I'm right handed?" Hermione answered softly, unsure of exactly how to respond.

"Excellent, excellent…" the man muttered, pulling out a tape measure from behind the counter. "Please hold out your arm," he instructed, and Hermione did so. He took several different measurements, and it was a few minutes before he finished.

Ollivander straightened up and dusted himself off. "Let's get you a wand, shall we?" He disappeared into the back of the shop, humming lightly to himself as he went. Hermione glanced back at her parents. Her father shrugged, nonplussed, while her mother's face was etched with confusion.

"Here we are," Mr. Ollivander had returned, carrying three of the skinny boxes. He set them on the counter, then opened the first and pulled out a stick not unlike Ms. Vector's. "Try this…" he proceeded to hand Hermione the wand.

She gripped the wood lightly, and as Mr. Ollivander, Ms. Vector, and her parents watched, Hermione did the only natural thing she could think of, and flicked the wand towards a small stack of parchment on the counter.

The parchment instantly flew up into the air and exploded, a mini mushroom cloud erupting in the middle of the shop. Standing with her jaw open and her cheeks bright red, Hermione was surprised to find Mr. Ollivander laughing.

"Well, unicorn hair is most certainly not for you," he concluded definitively, and replaced the wand in its box. "Let's try… this one. Dragon heartstring, made of willow. Rather stiff."

Far more cautiously, Hermione took the second wand. After a few moments, she waved it carefully at the floor, hoping not to cause as much damage. With no such luck, a floorboard popped out of its place and unceremoniously began to tear itself into shreds.

Hermione immediately thrust the wand back at Ollivander. "Hmm…" he said slowly, taking the wand and replacing it. "I'll be back in a moment." And he disappeared into the shop again. Minutes later, he returned with one more box. Lifting the lid, he pulled out another wand. This one was longer than the first two, made of a light colored wood. It was carved eloquently, so that a single wooden 'vine' was snaking around the rest of the wand.

"Vine wood," Ollivander murmured. "Dragon heartstring again, slightly more flexible…" He fingered the wand almost affectionately. "A well-rounded wand, excellent for many branches of magic…"

He held out the wand, and Hermione took it slowly. She gasped audibly when a sudden warming sensation trickled through her fingers. The hairs on her neck bristled and she shivered slightly. When she waved it, rather than causing severe destruction, the wand sent out a shower of bright green sparks, illuminating the musty store. Hermione couldn't help but beam.

"Perfect! Ah, just wonderful," Ollivander was also smiling. "That will be seven gold galleons."

Hermione handed him the wand, and he used a small vial of polish to clean it before re-packaging it in the box. As he did this, Ms. Vector helped Hermione find seven galleons in her sack of money, as she had no idea which coins were which just yet.

"Well, Ms. Granger," Ollivander said as he handed Hermione her package. "Have an excellent time at Hogwarts. I am sure we can expect great things from you in the future."

The eerie look returned to his face as he smiled slightly, turned, and moved back into the darkness of the shop.

* * *

**Hello!! First off, I just want to say that I am INCREDIBLY SORRY for not updating sooner! I wanted to very badly, but unfortunately real life comes first. And let me tell you, my real life is VERY busy. I will attempt to update far more often, but I can obviously make no promises. I love writing this story and it pained me greatly to not be able to find adequate time to write another chapter in order to update. I will understand if you've lost interest and moved on, but it would still make me very happy and grateful if you could continue reviewing and offering feedback. For those of you that have stuck with the story and have waited anxiously for an update, thank you so much! **

**Anyways, onto the story. This is not my favorite chapter, which is probably why it took me so long to write. It's also quite a bit longer, if you didn't notice. I think it's a bit slow. I'm excited for Hogwarts because I think the story will be even more fun to write at that point. I'm also looking forward to sequels and such, if I get that far, so that I can write about Ron and Hermione ;).  
**

**Thanks for reviewing!:**

**ngayonatkailanman****, Bittersweet x, ashleybAby (), Helena-Nickleby, FunkeyMonkeyLOL ****and bookworm1517**

**Chapter Notes:**

***Like McGonagall, as Professor Vector is not yet Hermione's professor, she is referred to as Ms. Vector. **

***I mean no disrespect to London at the beginning of this chapter! I've actually been to London, and I've been on the Underground, and I love them both.**

***There are probably quite a few mistakes in this, such as grammar and possibly spelling. I've read over it, but I'm not sure I caught everything. So don't be afraid to point them out. It won't hurt my feelings :)**

***Ollivander was really fun to write. I was going to have this chapter cover Hermione's entire time at Diagon Alley, but part of me felt like that would just make it drag on and get boring. So I ended with Ollivander, because I thought the wand scene was important.**

***Hermione's wand is the actual one she used in the movie. If you look i up, many of the pictures have a wand with a carved sort of vine around it. Just thought it would be a cool little connection :D  
**


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